Ex-CIA analyst Larry Johnson says the U.S. operation that captured Maduro was made possible by covert cooperation at the highest levels of Venezuelan security. According to Larry, a senior Venezuelan official, secretly working with U.S. intelligence for years, issued a stand-down order that allowed Delta Force to land, extract Maduro, and exit with precision and speed. What appeared to be a flawless special operation was, in his words, “staged.” And on Iran, Larry believes the current protests are instigated by U.S. and Israeli intelligence, and the likelihood of toppling the regime is slim. He believes the U.S. and Israel are planning new strikes against the country, and that the regime is more prepared than it was during the 12-day war, with more advanced weapons and better readiness. 03:21 - Initial reaction to Maduro’s capture and why it felt “staged” 06:08 - Questions around the helicopter incident and lack of U.S. casualties 09:26 - Why a stand-down order could happen without full coordination 12:18 - No real plan after capturing Maduro: lessons from Iraq 15:36 - U.S. goal in Venezuela: oil control and pushing out China, Russia, Iran 18:21 - Risk of escalation and the Vietnam-style trap for the U.S. 21:31 - Why “precision strikes” are a myth and air power has limits 23:05 - Why the operation succeeded: insiders, unlocked doors, and no defenses 26:16 - Misuse of the Monroe Doctrine and U.S. interference in Latin America 29:53 - Contradictions between multipolar reality and U.S. global actions 31:15 - Why threats backfire and push countries closer to BRICS 34:02 - Trump’s behavior as a symptom of declining U.S. hegemony 36:49 - Houthis, Red Sea reality, and limits of U.S. naval power 39:26 - Iran protests: intelligence operations versus real public anger 42:09 - MEK, Mossad, CIA, and manufacturing opposition narratives 47:04 - Iran preparing for war and turning to Russia and China 51:24 - Why Iran is stronger now despite war, sanctions, and protests 54:12 - Difference between Iran’s government and the Islamic Republic 56:44 - Why the U.S. cannot replicate the Maduro operation in Iran
